USDA Ag Census Results Coming in February
Plus reminder about the Eat and Evolve silent auction, and this week's market sked
Ag Census Stats Could Influence Farm Bill Debate
The five-year federal Farm Bill, which authorizes all federal agriculture, food and food assistance programs, expired on September 30. This has led to a good deal of trepidation, as progress on a new five-year measure is currently stymied by deep partisan divisions across Congress and a stalemate within the Republican Party over the selection of a new Speaker of the House.
Yet the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announcement last week that results of its 2022 Census of Agriculture will be released in February could end up providing statistical ammunition for advocates of a transformed farm and food system — assuming that Congress gets its act together enough to produce a new Farm Bill.
The Census of Agriculture is conducted by USDA every five years, and the 2017 survey produced some worrisome statistics. The average age of U.S. farmers was 57.5 years, up 1.2 years from the 2012 Census; 34 percent of farmers were 65 or older, while only 8 percent were under 35. The future of our food system clearly relies on the cultivation of a new generation of producers — will the 2022 Census show progress in that direction?
In addition, the 2017 Census showed that many farmers need to supplement their income by taking off-farm work. Farming was not the primary occupation for 58 percent of farmers, and 40 percent spent 200 or more days a year off the farm. BIPOC populations remained deeply under-represented, as the Census showed that 95 percent of the nation’s farmers were white.
That Census was taken at a time when consumer demand for a better food system — more local, sustainable, humane, fair and accessible — was already growing. The COVID crisis in the intervening years, which exposed the flaws in the conventional food system and its extended supply chains, intensified understanding of the need for resilient and economically viable local food systems.
The results of the 2022 Census of Agriculture will be closely examined for evidence of any progress toward a better food system and how much the next Farm Bill needs to reflect those efforts.
Eat and Evolve Fundraiser and Silent Auction
Eat and Evolve, the biggest annual fundraiser for The Evolved Network non-profit, will take place Monday evening at eden restaurant. A limited number of tickets are still available for what promises to be a delicious event with tastes from many of our area’s top chefs.
But whether you’re attending or not, you can support The Evolved Network’s programs to help underprivileged youths through farm to table experiences by participating in the silent auction. Many of the prizes also feature chef-driven dining experiences.
Click below to participate in the silent auction or buy tickets.
This Week’s Regional Farmers Market Schedule
There are quite a few markets still open for the outdoor season, but the list is already getting shorter. Please make sure to support our local farmers over the remainder of October.